Armchair Traveller 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: A route around the northern mainland of Scotland

NC500 stands for 'North Coast 500' and has been nicknamed "Scotland's answer to route 66". It is a 516 mile route starting in Inverness and takes 5-7 days to complete by road. The trail goes past mountains, lochs, and beaches. The idea behind NC500 was to promote development in struggling rural communities.

The most difficult part is Bealach na Ba (the pass of the cattle) through the mountains of the Applecross peninsula.

Answer: Hong Kong

Pink dolphins (also known as Chinese white dolphins) were used as a symbol of the handover from Britain to China during the Sovereignty Changing Ceremonies in Hong Kong in 1997. The numbers of pink dolphins were rapidly declining at the start of the 21st century. Pollution and infrastructure were two of the reasons given for their decline.

Answer: Filipino

Although the first karaoke machine was a Japanese invention, Roberto del Rosario of the Philippines owned the patent of, and developed, the Karaoke Sing-Along System in 1975. It is a huge part of pop culture in the country. There are many karaoke bars to suit a range of tastes; from family-friendly places to 'nightclubs' aimed at a certain type of man.

Answer: Sweden

Stockholm is over 700 years old, but at the start of the 21st century, the city was aiming to be at the forefront of technological advancement. Solar-powered bins were installed on the city's streets, and farmers began growing food indoors using artificial lights.

A Swedish rail company, SJ, was the first in the world to use microchip implants as train tickets. Passengers with an implant need a membership number and when the chip is scanned, it reveals the ticket.

Answer: Isla de Providencia

Isla de Providencia is a Caribbean island that was home to pirates such as Sir Henry Morgan, and there are rumours of hidden pirate treasure. In the 21st century, the island is part of Colombia. Despite being part of a Spanish-speaking country, most residents on the island speak pidgin English.

The island is remote, and in order to preserve its untouched beauty, many islanders are resisting efforts to increase tourism.

Answer: Lake Ohrid

Lake Ohrid is a beautiful body of water in Macedonia. It is around five million years old. The origins of the town there date back to the 4th century BCE. In the Bronze Age, wooden stilts were used to build houses over the water. Some of the original pylons are still below the surface of the water. Bay of the Bones is a reconstructed Bronze Age settlement built on a wooden platform, showing what the original town might have looked like.

Answer: King Henry VIII

Thornbury Castle was built in the first half of the 16th century. It is on the site of an even older manor house in South Gloucestershire, England. Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, stayed at Thornbury Castle during their honeymoon. It was here that they may have experienced this traditional English recipe featuring Gloucester pork cheek.

Thornbury Castle is now a hotel that has utilized the Tudor building. Each bedchamber is unique; some have four-poster beds and period features like leaded windows. You can even stay in the room that the royal couple shared in 1535!

Answer: A tour bus

Karachi is a major city in Pakistan. In 2015, it ranked the 26th most dangerous city in the world for crime, according to the Numbeo Crime Index. In the midst of the unrest between political and ethnic groups since the end of the 20th century, tourists and locals can board the Super Savari Express to see the city's sights.

It is a lavishly decorated public bus that is brightly coloured and covered in tassles, feathers, and paper flowers. Passengers on the tour can see Karachi's diverse historical and religious architecture.

Answer: A painting method from Asia

'Ebru' is a Turkish word for marbled paper. Paint is sprinkled over a water and starch mixture. The mixture is thicker than the paint, so the paint remains on the surface and can be moved around to create a picture. Paper or cloth is laid on top and the image is transferred onto it.

The technique was popular under the Ottomans and then spread to Europe. Beautiful, fluid pictures and patterns can be created using the method.

Answer: Dinant, Belgium

Dinant lies on the River Meuse in Belgium. In 1982, Alberto Serpagli organised a race down the river - only contestants weren't allowed to use a boat. He collected a range of bathtubs that were to be used instead. The bathtub regatta became an annual event with evermore extravagantly decorated tubs.

The race track is 1km long, but the event is more about having fun and splashing each other, than reaching the finish line first!